Harrow.



B. HALVE.

HARROW.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 13, 1910.

' 983,894. I Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

BRUNO HALVE, OF WACO, TEXAS.

I-IABROW.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 14, 1911.

Application filed May 13, 1910. Serial No. 561,036.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BRUNO name, a citizen of the United States, residingat aco, in the county of McLenna-n and State of Texas, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Harrows, of which the followingis a specification.

The harrow which is the subject of the present invention is designedmore particularly for destroying weeds, grass and other undesirablegrowths.

It is the object of the invention to provide in a harrow of the kindstated a novel form of spring tooth which cuts the roots of weeds andworks the same to the surface of the ground without turning the sod.

Another object of the invention is to provide a spring tooth which isstrong and durable, and able to successfully withstand heavy work, andcapable of use in stumpy and stony land.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, reference is had tothe accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification. in whichdrawing Figure 1 is a plan view of the machine. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail of the tooth, and Fig.at is a cross section on the line 4; 1 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, the supporting frame of the machine comprisesside bars 5 which are spaced at their rear ends and there connected by across bar 6. The side bars are brought together at their front ends,thus forming a triangular-shaped structure. However. this shape isimmaterial. and may be varied at will.

The frame is supported at its rear end on wheels 7 mounted on an archedaxle 8, sup ported in bearings 9 carried by the bars 5. The axle is freeto be rocked in its bearings for the purpose of raising and lowering theframe. The rocking movement of the axle is effected by a hand lever 10fulcrumed on the cross bar 6, and suitably connected to an arm 11 fixedto, and extending from the axle.

To the front end ofthe frame is attached a clevis 12, and this end issupported on a vertically adjustable and swiveled caster wheel 18. Thevertical adjustment of the caster wheel is effected by a collar 14 whichis adjustably fastened to the stem 15 of the wheel supporting frame 16by a set screw 17, the collar being located under the front end of theframe and engaged thereby.

The bars 5 carry spaced parallel cross beams 18 on which the teeth aremounted. Two of these beams are shown, the front one carrying two teeth,and the rear one three teeth. The teeth of one beam are so set withrespect to the teeth of the other beam, that each tooth travels in aseparate row. One of the beams 18 also supports the drivers seat 19.

The several teeth are identical in form and construction, in view ofwhich a description of one will suflice for all. Referring moreparticularly to Fig. 3, the tooth shown some what resembles the letter8, its shank having two curved portions 20 and 21, respectively; Thepenetrating portion 22 of the tooth extends downwardly and forwardlyfrom. the lower curve 20. and carries at its point a sweep or shovel 28.The upper curve 21 is made in a direction opposite the direction of thelower curve, and from said upper curve, the shank extends roarwardly andhorizontally in a straight line. as indiiated at 2st, to facilitateattachment to the beam 18. The tooth herein described is reinforced by astrip 25 of spring metal having the same width as that of the tooth.This reinforcing strip is placed against the back of the tooth, andextends along the portion 24: on the bottom thereof, and around thecurve 21, at the back thereof, and terminates ata point substantiallymidway between said curve and the curve 20, its extremity being formedwith two spaced outstanding flanges 26, between which the tooth shankextends, said flanges extending across opposite edges of the shank. Thetooth is secured to the beam 18 by bolts 27 passing through the beam andthe portion 24 of the tooth shank, and also through bosses 28 formed onsaid. portion 24: and extending into openings in the strip 2, whereby arigid connection between the tooth and the beam is had, and thereinforcement is securely fastened to the tooth.

In operation, the axle 8 is adjusted so as to lower the teethsufficiently to enter the ground the desired distance. The part 22 ofthe tooth travels through the soil with a pronounced and continuousvibratory motion, due to the great resiliency of the tooth resultingfrom the two curved portions, and the reinforcement. The shovel 23 cutsthe roots of the weeds, grass and other undesirable growths, and thevibratory motion of the tooth works the roots upwardly to the surface ofthe ground, where they may re main to dry, or to be collected anddestroyed. The shovel operates as stated without turning the sod. Theflanges 26 prevent relative lateral play of the tooth and itsreinforcement. The reinforcement also imparts suiiicient strength to thetooth, so that the machine may be operated in stumpy and stony landwithout danger of having the teeth broken. The machine can also be usedfor cultivating hard soil, the shovels, by reason of the great strengthof the teeth, readily entering the soil, and throwing up clods, weedsand stones. If the shovel encounters a root, stone or other obstruction,the tooth bends rearwardly 011 the curves and by reason of the greatlyaugmented resiliency from the reinforcement, the obstruction is tornloose and worked to the surface of the ground. The tooth is loosebetween the flanges 26, and is therefore free to yield.

I claim:

A spring tooth for harrows and the like, comprising a shank having upperand lower opposite curves, and a straight attaching portion extendingrearwardly from the upper curve, a spring reinforcing strip extendingalong the bottom of the attaching portion, and behind the upper curve,said strip terminating between the upper and lower curves, and havingoutstanding flanges at its terminal between which the tooth fitsloosely, a boss on the bottom of the aforesaid straight portion of thetooth shank, and extending through the reinforcing strip engageable withsaid portion, and a bolt passing through the boss.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BRUNO HALVE.

Witnesses A. M. KENNEDY, E. D. RUssnLL.

